Sunday Funday February
It’s March!? Carnaval was cancelled in Brazil, as while Covid has started to go down in cases and up in vaccinations in the USA, cases are rising quickly in Brazil, even with their own strain of the virus. Please keep everyone in your prayers as things are shutting down again there.
But we were so amazed to see how our amazing team at Cajueiro Claro was able to provide a safe church camp during Carnaval, when many of those in the community had decided to continue with drunken celebrations.
Valentine’s Day, Sofia’s vlogging, making Brazilian food in America, and Purim has filled our cold and snowy February.
Prayers and Praises
Prayers for our Brazilian brothers and sisters in this hard time- as prices make financial issues harder as well. Public schools have not started yet (the Living Stones children haven’t had school in any form since last March), and we really don’t know when will reopen. Curfew has been put into place (8pm on weekdays, 5pm on weekends), changing when church needs to meet (It normally meets 7pm on Sunday nights), and many other events (as most people do things in the evenings when the sun is down and it is a bit cooler).
We had a lot of snow (the girls and Caid enjoyed playing in it, I stayed inside) and it was pretty cold and grumpy (as most Februarys are), but we are grateful for a warm, snuggly home, and lots of great books from the library.
We are very grateful for a Sunday night Bible study that blesses our whole family, and has been a great spiritual encouragement. Our home church, Horizon central, is in the process of moving locations, and Caid is really growing on the worship team. We are blessed.
This month I’ve moved into my new role as the World Renewal Brazil representative, and the support and encouragement I’ve received has knocked my socks off. Praise the Lord we have a new Living Stones coordinator in Brazil (Wilson!) who is doing a great job, and making sure all the local leaders feel supported. I hope to have opportunities soon to share with you personally all that God is doing in Brazil!
Interweb Reads
Things from me: did you know it is already the third week of Lent? Here are some great ideas if you’d like to join in. If you are into financial figures and all that, here is our Fergie Finances from 2020.
A Life Overseas (missions stuff): You are going to hate it (“it” being wherever you go), A Global Pandemic and Ambiguous Loss (we have to start facing all this ambiguous loss-all of us) A new answer to an old question (I love “I am bettering” as an answer!)
Other Missions stuff: Writing in Past Tense about my Missionary life (all the feels with Amy Medina) The Invasion Robbery and the Power of Fear (Amy again, with a super great story). This made me cheer, from Christianity Today: The coming African American Missions Movement. A Primer for Parents on MKs and Mental Illness: we have to talk about this! (by Michele Phoenix)
Other stuff: Anyone else watch Ted Lasso? The Hope that Kills you (Communicating across Boundaries). Here are two Relevant articles for fun: 8 Underratted “Christian Movies and 8 Accidentally hilarious old school Christian music videos.
If you want to wander into politics, here are two articles from the Dispatch: You are one step away from complete and total insanity and Why is it so hard to reach the Christian Conspiracy Theorist?